Gas and oil separator



Oct. 17, 1933. M. J.- TRUMBLE ET AL GAS AND OIL SEPARATOR Filed Dec. 3,1930 INVENTOR. M/z-a/v 0-. rm/MBLE WILL/AM L- see-45y A TTORNE YS.

AQI the addition of Patented Oct; 17, 1933 GAS AND OIL sEPAa roR MiIonJTremble, Alhambra, and William L."

Seeley, Los Angeles,

.Calif., assignors to Processco, Limited, SanFrancisc 0, Calif; a

A corporation of Nevada Application December 3,

1930. Serial, No. 499,738,

s Claims. "(orisvfs'a f Y.

invention relates to apparatus forseparating gas from oil underpressurecontaining the same, and the objects of the invention are toprovide apparatus for carrying out the separation in an automatic manneractuated by the pressure of the contained gases, and particularly to theconstruction of the float controlled oil valve formingthe most importantfeature of the'apparatus. Other objects of the invention 719i will apearin the following description and in the" accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the tank ofour apparatus while showing the valve housing in full.

'Fig. 2 is acrosssectionof the apparatus as seen Iromtheline'Z-J ofFig. 1. r

Figw3 is an enlarged elevation of the valve discharge end-as seen fromtheline 3-3 of- Fi .2.

Fig 4 is a verticalsection of a discharge valve similar to that showninFig; 2 but of modified form.

further detail; the invention comprises a suitable closedchambe'radapted to withstand a '25. moderatepressure such'as a cylindrical tank-1 flttedon top with agas discharge pipe? provided with an automaticpressure regulator-3 and pressure-gage 4, .while at one-side of the tankis an oil delivery pipe -5 provided with a;

k311i downwardly turned inner end '6," directing a streamof mix'ed oiland gas 'ontothe 'bodyof oil 7 in the tank for liberation of its gas tothe space above'the' oil'while the risin'g and falling level-"01 the oilis used to cbntrol the discharge 13.5.; of 'oil from the through thespecial float VaIve' arrangement. 1 I t This float valve arrangementincludes" acylin drical-housing il bolted at 9'to1'a relatively largeflanged collar'10welded firmly to the tank'by aireinforcing plate 11 asindi-. cated; u "Bolted atone end of the housing Sis a: dischargeriozzle or pipe connection 12, while bolted. tothe opposite endof thehousing is a; bonnet l3 ifltted' 'with a stuffing' box- 14, throughwhich passes a stem 15 of a rotary hollow-cylindrical valve or member16.- fThis valvemember 16 is somewhat smaller, indiameter than theinterior of the housing 8 so as to provide a gas pressure 5.0; spacearound the valvemember 16, and this space extends partially over, thedischarge end of the valve though more above the stem end of the valveas indicated at 1'7 so that the gases Vunder'pressure entering the spacefreely from 555.; the tank through collar will react equally aboutalways'dips; below the surface 7 of the oil,

the'outer sides'of v'alvefmember 16 while re: siliently urging its flatdischar'ge-end'lW against a fixed flat seat'18 pressed "snugly inplaceinnozzle 12 as indicated. V The discharge endof the valve member 16is 60,-. formed with acircular bossor shoulder 16 con centric with valvestem 15 rotatably seated in the circular depression in which the seat'is' supported, while both the'end wall 16 of the valve and the seat 18are pierced respectively 65-. with, segment-shaped ports19, 20eccentri'call'y located with respect to the axis Aof the valveadaptedtoj be brought into coinciding relation orclosed off uponpartialirevolution of the valve.

The stem of the valve is preferably fitted with 70 Van annular'ballbearing 21 to centralize i-t,;and

at the outer endof the stem is a crank 2'2 piv-F otaliy connected to theupper end of rddj 23,

. in turn pivoted at its lower end to'fl'a crank 24" secured to the endof'a 'shorts'haf 25 rotatably 76.: mounted in an-outwardly extendingpocket 26 formed on'or welded to the; side of the tank." The end of theshaft carrying the crank project's through a stufiing box 27 so asto begas tight while the other end works'in a blind bearing as 805 indicatedin Fig.- 2, -and securedtq the'central portion of the shaft withinpocket 26-is a ho'ri-- z ontally;extending armx 28 carrying at its end afloat'tarik 29. This floattank' iso'f hollow-metal construction-andprovided'with a small tube 86-; which extends tightly through the top ofthe tank-to terminate with-its lower open endfad jacentthe bottom of thetank; and the'upper open end of which tube is Iel'evated'above the tankand turned downwardly asjindicated. 90?; Oi'l'is conveyed into-theinterior or the valve bya pipe 31 whicn extends'through the collar 10and-is threaded or welded through a side open-f ing in the-rotatablevalve member 16. This pipe has-"a downwardly extending section 31" which955 and swings in the oil as the valve turns; v Connecting' rod 23 "isadjustable various holes indicated along cranks '22 and- 24-tovary thethrow or setting of 'ihe valve, though the size of the collar 10inrelation topipe 3-1 is usu ally so proportioned as to iorm'adefinite'stopat full open and fu'll-"closed position of the" ports, 19 J i i: "i't 0',

In operation of the apparatus, the gas liberated from the oil buildsup'a pressure as regulated by automatic valve 3 and keeps the oil forced1 up pipe 31 through the interior of the rotatable I valve member andout through ports 19, 20, pipe 31 swinging in the oil in conformity tothe turn- 1 19 ing of the valve by rising or falling of the float valve.7

By this construction the only valve surface to be kept tight is the endagainst the flat seat, and since the oil isdelivered directly to theinterior of the valve there is no possibility of the least particle ofsand or gritcarried by the oilworking into the parts to cause injury,and the gas which is under the same pressure as the oil functions as avalve balancing. agent around thesides V of the valve yet on account ofthe areas exposed with a resilient seating action on the'valvesurfaces.r

Fig. 4 shows modifications in the-constructionof the overflow valve. Theview is'a vertical section and indicates the housingof the valve at 32secured to the wall of the tank 33, hollow valve member 34 mounted inthehousing-and provided with a stem 35 projecting through a stufling box36 and fitted with a crank 37 at its/end correspondingin all respectswith the crank 22 of Fig.1 forsimilar operation of the valve by a floatand linkage substantially as indicated in'Figs. 1

r and 2.

Valve member 34 is ported at 34f through one side for discharge, and theoutenwall of this member maybe suitably spaced away from the housingwall over an area, to provide a partial" balancing of the memberbyexternal gas pressure from the tank through the open inner end of thehousing all as indicated, while a'short inlet pipe 38 for oil extends.centrally from theend-of the valve member carrying at its end a packedswing joint or swivel connection 39 from which a ver tical pipe 40 hangswith its lower end in the oil. By this arrangement pipe 40 will remainstationary, or may be so held by a fork 41 secured inside the tank,while pipe 38 turns with the valve memberi V n It is man est thatwithout further drawings that this swivel joint may be placed on thevalve member instead of on'the pipe 8 extending there- 2. A valvecomprising ahousing, a hollow valve member rotatably mounted in saidhousing ported for inlet and outlet of a fluid, and a pipe secured tothe inlet port of said member arranged for-- delivering a fluid to theinterior of said member for discharge-through its outlet port, saidhousing providing a space at the sides of said rotatable member adaptedfor the reception of a gas under pressure.

34A valve comprising a housing, a hollow cylindrical Valve memberrotatably mounted in said housing, a seat in said housing againstwhich-one end of saidmember contacts, ports in said seatand said end ofsaid member eccentrically arranged with respect to the axis of rotationso as to be closed and opened upon rotation of the member,

nesnzvs a pipe entering said member for delivering a fluid thereto forejection from said ports, said housing adapted for securing to atank,said pipe provided with an extension arranged to dip into a liquidcontained in said tank, and a float on said liquid provided withconnections for turning, said valve member. a y 7 4.Apparatus' offthecharacter described comprisinga tank adapted to contain a liquid and agas under pressureabove the liquid, a discharge valve on saidtank forthe liquid, means con-' trolling thefdischarge of liquid through saidvalve actuated by the level of the liquid in said tank,

and means for balancing said valve by gas from thegas space within'saidtank.

5.' Apparatus of the character described comprising a tank adapted tocontain a liquid and a gas under pressure above the liquid, a dischargevalve :on said tank for the liquid, means con- 7 trolling'the dischargeof liquid through said valve actuated by'the level of the-liquidainsaid-tank, said valve located at a point above theIiquid, and apipefromsaid valve extending downward into the liquid whereby the liquid isforced-up to the valve by said gas under pressure, and-means forbalancing said valve'by gas from-the gas space within said-tank. j r

6. Apparatus of the character described com: prising a tank adapted tocontain a liquid-and a gas under pressure above the liquid, a valvehousing provided with an inner'rotatable-hollowvalve mounted on the sideof said tank above the liquid level, a tubular connection *betweenthe 1tank and valve exposing'a'portion of saidhollow valve to the tankinterior, a pipe projecting from said hollow valve through said tubularconnection to the tank and provided with an extension'-'directeddownwardly into the liquid. i v v '7. Apparatus of the characterdescribed com prising a tank'adapted to containa liquid and a gasunderpressure above'the liquid, avalve'h'ousing provided with an innerrotatable hollow valve mounted onthe sideof'said tank above 'the'yliquidlevel, a-tubular connection betweenthetankand valve exposing a portionof said hollow valve tov the tank interior, a'pipe projecting-from saidhol low valve through said tubular connection tothe tank: and providedwith an extension-directed downwardly into the liquid said tubularconnec-;

tion being relatively large to permit oscillation ot said pipe uponrotary movement of said valve. V

8. vApparatus of the character describedic'on'r prising a tankadapted tocontain -a liquid andiagas under pressure above the'liquid, a valve-hous-- ing provided with an inner rotatable hollow valve; mounted'onthe side of said ta'nkabovethe-liquid level, a tubularconnecticnbetween'the-tank}and valve exposingaportionof;said-hollow=valve to the tank interiorga pipe projectingfrom-said hollow valve through said -tubular connection to the tank anddirected downwardly into the liquid,

permit oscillation of said-pipe upon rotary movement of said'valve, andafloat on said liquid connected for operating said" valve uponiihange inliquid level. a y

f MILON J. TRUMBLE: a. a

' .WILLIAM" L;'- SEELEY. 1

said tubular connection beingzrelatively large' to

